Junior Blues trade top scorer Curry

Comment

By Staff Report

The State Journal-Register

By Staff Report

Posted Dec. 11, 2013 at 12:01 AM

By Staff Report
Posted Dec. 11, 2013 at 12:01 AM

Trading your leading scorer is never easy. But Patrick Curry drew the interest of a junior hockey team from a top-tier league, so the Springfield Junior Blues have worked a deal allowing Curry to move up.

Curry, a 17-year-old winger from Schaumburg who led the Junior Blues in goals (12) and assists (14), was traded Tuesday to the Tri-City Storm.

The Storm, based in Kearney, Neb., plays in the Tier I United States Hockey League. The Junior Blues play in the Tier II North American Hockey League.

Junior Blues coach Tony Zasowski said his team received cash in exchange for Curry. But in a separate transaction, Springfield (13-10-4) obtained 19-year-old winger Ross Olsson from Tri-City. Olsson, listed at 6 feet 5 and 215 pounds, is from North Billerica, Neb., and has committed to Northeastern University.

“You never want to lose your leading scorer,” said Junior Blues coach Tony Zasowski. “But the USHL contacted us about an opportunity for Patrick to go up there.

“We’ll work with the player if (a trade) is right for him, and Patrick had the desire to try it. If it could work for our team and we were compensated, we were willing to make the deal to help him.”

Olsson played for USHL teams Lincoln and Cedar Rapids last season, when he played in the USHL All-Star Game. He was traded from Cedar Rapids to Tri-City prior to this season.

In 13 games, Olsson had one goal and three assists.

“He has size; he was an NHL draft prospect a year ago,” Zasowski said of Olsson. “He has the talent, but he just hasn’t reached his potential.

“We hope he can slide in there and do that, and hopefully he can make our other players better at the same time.”

The Junior Blues play a two-game series at Janesville on Friday and Saturday nights.